From the classroom to the runway, meet Zoe Sun

From the classroom to the runway, meet Zoe Sun

Pairing passion with determination, Chinese alum Zoe chased her dream career from the moment she stepped foot on campus at RMIT.

From pattern making classes to the Melbourne Fashion Week runway, Zoe’s learning journey was all about making the most of the experiences and opportunities available to her.

Initially from Shanghai, China, Zoe started out at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in 2015 as an international Foundation Studies student, before enrolling in a Bachelor of Fashion (Design) and graduating with Honours in 2019.

Making waves in the global fashion industry ever since, Zoe is now the founder of her own brand label, THEMHUB, as well as the business owner of a PR agency she launched in Shanghai. 

Five years on from her days as a university student in Melbourne, Zoe credits RMIT and the experiences she had on and off campus as the basis of her rapid career success. 

Finding your pathway and following your passion 

Drawn to design since childhood and inspired by her mother who also studied fashion, Zoe was set on her career direction from a young age.

During a visit to Australia with her high school in 2013, Zoe was intrigued by the country’s multicultural and ecological environment, and she knew she wanted to return.

Despite exploring both Sydney and Brisbane, Zoe’s university search led to her taking a chance on Melbourne, after discovering RMIT. With its reputation and ranking as Australia’s top university for Art and Design1 – a status it still holds today2 – the choice was simple for Zoe. 

“Before applying for the uni [RMIT], I did some research on Australian universities and I learned that RMIT’s design program ranking was top among Australian universities,” Zoe said.

Chinese alum Zoe Sun
The course arrangement of fashion design at RMIT is very comprehensive; we learnt fashion industry from three different aspects. First, it is basic skill – we learnt pattern making and how to sew and drape, starting with the simplest skirt to a whole design collection. The second is the cultivation of aesthetic, which can make you more inclusive, rich and diverse. The third is about business thinking – we studied topics about commercialisation, how to set up a fashion team and how to run a fashion company. This was very important for my later career.

Making the most of opportunities on and off campus 

Zoe took up every experience she could as a student and actively sought out opportunities to advance her skills – not only to learn her craft but to make the most of life experiences, which she says have shaped her career journey to date.

“RMIT gave me a diversified perspective on how the global fashion industry works,” Zoe said.

“For students studying fashion design, in addition to cultivating aesthetic appreciation, professional skills [are] also particularly important. We learned how to use specialist equipment and the whole process of making garments, which played a big role in my current career. 

“I did different internships related to fashion [during each university break], which I knew would be very helpful for my future career. I found what I was truly interested in during each different intern experience and kept developing it.

“I joined the study tour to Vietnam in 2017, which was one of the most memorable experiences for me at RMIT. We visited the RMIT Vietnam campus, went to different garment factories, and got to know the supply chain of the entire fashion industry.”

Melbourne Fashion Week runway

From one opportunity to the next

Motivated by a challenge, it’s no wonder Zoe’s career has evolved rapidly.

After she graduated from RMIT in 2019, Zoe moved back to Shanghai in 2020, becoming a fashion editor at Harper’s BAZAAR China. 

In 2022, she teamed up with her fellow RMIT alumni and become the founder of her very own brand label, THEMHUB. But Zoe’s ambition didn’t stop there – in 2023 she launched her own PR company called THE 404 STUDIO, which focuses on the promotion of fashion brands. 

“I like to challenge myself in my career, whether it's the experience at [Harper’s] BAZAAR China or starting my own business now. I always feel a great sense of accomplishment when I finish a challenging project,” Zoe said.

“I am proud of myself and my team when our fashion brand finished a perfect customised order for celebrities and when my PR agency cooperated with some global fashion brands.”

Summing up her time as an RMIT student, Zoe recalls the achievements of her honours year as catalysts for her career, with her involvement in Melbourne Fashion Week her biggest highlight. 

“Honours year was the most impressive year for me. I spent the whole year completing an entire design collection. It was a really long process, and after numerous discussions, speeches and improvements it became my first completed design collection as a fashion designer. 

“At the same time, I also joined in Melbourne Fashion Week, and I will always remember the day as the best day of my life! I think joining in on Melbourne Fashion Week is the best summary of my four years study at RMIT, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment, which also supported me to persist in the fashion industry.”

Connect with fellow alumni living and working in China. It’s free to join and you’ll have access to a range of events and networking opportunities. 

References

1QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015

2QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information